A Travelling Blogger
I’m not a travel blogger but in 2017 I will be a blogger who will be doing a LOT of travelling!
My adventures kicked off in January!
January – Las Vegas, USA
Accommodation: The Bellagio
This was a totally unexpected Christmas present from Greg and we stayed at The Bellagio. To say that I was super-excited was an understatement. Las Vegas is somewhere I have always wanted to go and this was my first time out of Europe – I couldn’t wait. The hotel had over 3000 rooms!
I pretty much spent the entire time walking around with my mouth gaping open!
Reviews will be coming soon and only today have I just found out we will be returning there next January!
March – Stockholm, Sweden
Accommodation: Elite Hotel Arcadia
Following last year’s visit to Stockholm for the Eurovision Song Contest Final – both Greg and I have become obsessed with anything Swedish! Although we were there for a few days and we did get a chance to explore the city, it was pretty much Eurovision centred. This time we had time to explore further. Of course there was still a Eurovision element as we went to the Melodifestivalen 2017 final which is the competition where Sweden choose who represents them in Eurovision
May – Kyiv, Ukraine
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel
The Eurovision Song Contest Final was held in Kyiv in 2017 following Jamal’s win in 2016. Last year was my first time at Eurovison and it’s safe to say it’s going to be an annual event from now on. What better way to discover Europe? I didn’t expect the actual contest to top Stockholm’s show last year but it was be nice to see the city.
Greg had planned us a tour to Pripyat while we are there so one day we were at the extravaganza that is Eurovision and the next we were in a ghost town caused by the Chernobyl disaster. Talk about one extreme to another. The Chernobyl Tour was definitely be my ultimate abandoned places visit!
July – Rome, Italy
Accommodation: Hotel Regno
Not Eurovision related this time. It’s a city we have both always wanted to visit as there is just so much history to see and everyone always tells me how great it is – and it was!
September – Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria
Accommodation: Marina Suites
We’ve visited Puerto Rico a few times and really love it. We’ve stayed in Marina Suites twice and it is by far the best place to stay in the area.
The views of the Marina and the sea are something not to be missed.
The service and experience of the hotel are something I haven’t experienced on any other holiday.
This will be a relaxing holiday to recover from all our busy ‘doing stuff’ holidays so far this year and I can’t wait!
October – Warsaw, Poland
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Accommodation: Novotel Warszawa Centrum
The final (so far) trip of the year will be to Warsaw. There is no particular reason for this visit other than it was on A British Airways special offer. However, I’m sure I will love it.
All of these trips don’t even include our summer vacation – my suitcase is going to be busy this year, that’s for sure!
What about you? Have you been to any of these places? Where do you recommend we visit? What are the ‘hidden gems’? I’d really love to hear them so let me know in the comments below or tweet me @MrMcSteveface
No, only Vegas. I would love to go to all those places. Please share photos.
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I will don’t worry 🙂
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I love Vegas…I last stayed at The Cosmopolitan next door to the Bellagio, and I remember running down to watch the fountains when Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart will go on’ was getting ready to play!
I would love to go to Eurovision again…I haven’t been since Jerusalem 99.. thats shameful! Of all the greats I could have gone to see and I end up watching Precious come 12th. I did say last year I would go this year but then the Ukraine won …and I wasnt too keen! Im hoping that your travel plans are scuppered next year and the contest is in the O2!
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Is there any time in among all that to actually do a bit of work and earn the money to go lol
You’re livin the high life in 2017 no fear, I is jealous lol
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Flexible friend 🙂
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Wow
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Wow! Lucky you, Steve 😀 Looking forward to hearing about your adventures xx
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Thanks Helen – so excited 🙂
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I bet you are!
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If you get into a taxi in Kiev – good luck! Las Vegas is great, it NEVER sleeps. Rome? Words can’t describe the architecture almost wept when I went into the Pantheon and I’m not even Catholic. Can’t wait to see your pics.
JP
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Thanks JP, great advice. What’s wrong with taxis in Kyiv?
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Be clear of the cost before hand.
JP
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Ah ok. I’m Scottish so there’s no messing with money lol
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Wow, you’re going to be quite the travel blogger.
We stayed at the Bellagio a few years ago. Inside, check out the world biggest chocolate fountain, its water fountains (that dance to music) and its hidden secret which is a tube station (that runs above the city and which few people ever get to know anything about).
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Yeah I’m gonna be a right Judith Chalmers lol. I’ve heard about the fountain but not the tube station. Weird that it’s a secret, what’s so good about it?
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Well, it’s called one of the best-kept secrets about Las Vegas. Tourists, for some reason, never get to find out about it. It’s well hidden in the hotel although there are a few signs pointing it out. We did the whole line and saw few people getting on and off the train.
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Wow! All these sound so fun. We have stayed at the Bellagio and it is amazing! If you get a chance to drive to the Hoover Dam it’s definitely worth the hour drive. We rented a car and then just wandered back through the desert and red rock canyon. Very pretty. We also did a day trip to the Grand Canyon. It’s a quick flight and you only see a few stops but since we were so close we wanted to see it even if was very short. Enjoy!!
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Thanks! I’d love to drive there but I have enough trouble driving on the left side of the road so switching to the right might be a bad idea. Thanks for your advice 🙂
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Vegas: We stayed in MGM Grand but my favourite was Caesar’s Palace (although as I told you, it was 20 years ago!).
Rome: Carry an empty water bottle and fill it at the numerous water fountains. Totally safe to drink and saves a fortune. Eat pizza off street corners (obvs not literally!), walk everywhere and when you do the Colosseum, unless you’re buying tickets in advance, get them at the Palatine Hill entrance. Virtually no queues, and the exit is opposite the Colosseum entrance. It worked a treat, found out about the suggested route here:
https://www.rometoolkit.com/whattodo/colosseum.htm
And if you’re going to the Vatican and want to see the Sistine Chapel, the queues are insanely long. But make sure you go to the Pantheon and see the Oculus. By far my favourite monument in Rome!!
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Wow, thanks so much – great advice. Especially the part about not eating food off the ground. Haha, seriously – thanks!
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😁
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We lived in Rome for years, your Hotel Regno is very central but Via del Corso is very noisy major thoroughfare.
As for the Novotel in Warsaw I know it from the days when it was the Communist Premier Hotel, it has been refurbished in the last few years. Again very central in Warsaw.
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Fab. Thanks for the info. I’m pretty sure we won’t be spending too much time in the hotel in Rome but good to know. Thanks Larry 🙂
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Great trips Steve – have fun my friend. 🙂
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Thanks! I’ll try my best!
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Nice! Enjoy your trips!
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I will certainly try my best. Thanks for reading 🙂
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